Ciena says to play a bigger role in India’s 5G journey; ups focus on govt vertical

US-based telecom company Ciena said that it is aiming to broaden its customer base by increasing its focus on government and enterprise cloud verticals in the country. Danish Khan | ET Telecom | Updated: July 27, 2019, 10:29 IST

Representative Image NEW DELHI: US-based telecom company Ciena said that it is aiming to broaden its customer base by increasing its focus on government and enterprise cloud verticals in the country. It, however, will continue its focus on telecom operators and has already in talks with them for their digital transformation.

“Our focus is to a broad base customer base from a limited customer base. There are more opportunities as customers are going through a transformation for customers. Ciena will be playing a bigger role. There's a lot to be done within telco space as well,” the company’s newly appointed Chairman and India President, Rajesh Nambiar, told ET.

The executive said that a lot needs to be done in 4G as well and with 5G coming, Ciena will have a bigger role to play in the telecom sector.

“It is about them having a next-gen network, and we can play a transformational part. We need to work and enable them to bring out innovation to customers,” he added.

Ciena provides converged packet optical and Ethernet solutions to all Indian telecom operators, including Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone-Idea. In addition, it is supplying equipment to the Indian government to build core transport and switching backbone networks for India's armed forces.

“We want to build a brand that is broader and stronger than today…we need to connect the ecosystem better…five years from now, we will be different as the market is changing,” he added.

The company competes with the likes of Nokia and Huawei in India.

Ciena also has plans to grow its research and development (R&D) capabilities in the country. The centers here support its customers globally, including India.

“We are a part of global R&D. Every segment is being worked upon in India. The expansion will happen across the segment. We will bring talent,” Nambiar said.

He added that automation and Artificial Intelligence are some bigger areas where Ciena is shifting its focus. “There are more complex networks in India, hence, automation is required with self-healing requirement.”

Nambiar said that networks are bring created within the government segment. “They need a vehicle to reach to the citizen through services… their network is being established. we want to play in the segment…we are scratching the segment.”

The company is banking big on the Indian government’s ambitious BharatNet program.

“There is an opportunity to do more with much better network performance. We do engage with partners for the government,” Nambiar said.

Ciena is also working with global cloud networks. “…they are the large business for Ciena. We have worked with them in India as well,” he added.

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After PSU banks, the government is likely to infuse capital in two chronically ill telecom PSUs BSNL and MTNL, and the Union Cabinet is likely to take a decision on 4G spectrum allocation to them by the third week of the current month after DoT places the note before it for consideration.

At a high-level meeting at the PMO late Tuesday, it was also decided that the two telcos will frame a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to reduce their employee strength, which will be followed by a reduction in the retirement age to 58.